Automobile-door lock.



J. MILLER.

AUTOMOBILE DOOR LOCK.

7 APPLICATION FILED MAR. 29, I918. 1,300,991a

| v 11 wh 6 Patented Apr. 15,1919.

JOHN MILLER, OF AMESIBURY, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR T0 JOHN MILLER, JR., 0]? WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

AUTOMOBILE-DOOR LOCK.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN MILLER, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Amesbury, in the county of Essex and State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Automobile-Door Locks, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification,-like letters on the drawings representing like parts.

My present invention is an improved door catch and lock intended particularly for use in vehicle bodies, such as side doors of automobiles. Important features of the invention consist in a novel arrangement of a safety door lock and catch, means to hold the door automatically locked while permitting a simple and easy unlocking actuated simultaneously with the door opening and also including novel means of permanently fastening the door lock.

In the construction of automobile doors and catches therefor it is extremely important to have a device which will firmly and securely hold the door closed and locked,

preventing accidental opening and also eliminating the danger of. the lock springing open through the jarring and jouncing of the car when in motion over rough roads. My invention provides a simple, efiicient and strong lock and catch with novel means to Operate the same from either outside or inside of the door.

Other features of the invention, details of construction and novel combinations of parts will be hereinafter more fully pointed out and claimed.

In the drawings illustrating a preferred embodiment of the invention.

Figure 1 .is a view, partly in cross section, illustrating an automobile door and my improved lock thereon;

Fig. 2 is a plan view, looking from with- I in the lock mechanism rearwardly.

As shown in the drawings, the side frame 1 is the fixed portion and the door portion is shown at 2, the latter being formed with a recess 3 to receive the lock mechanism. The door portion 1 is provided with a rece'ss 4 to receive the plate 5, having therein the usual catches 6, when the door is half locked, and 7 when it is fully locked, these catches being of suitable form, depth and size to cooperate with the latch or looking Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 15, 1919.

Application filed March 29, 1918. Serial No. 225,436.

bolt 8. This plate 5 is rigidly attached by screws 9, 9, as illustrated in dotted lines.

In the door 2 the movable and operating portions of the lock are provided, consisting in a plate 10 carrying themain portion of the door mechanism and fitting within the recess 3. Secured to the plate 10 is a handle 11 having one end attached to the door 2, by the screw 12 through the flange 13. The other end of the handle comprising a flange 14 held to the plate 10 by a hollow member 15 being internally threaded to receive the threaded hub 16 of a flanged screw 17 engaging the inner side of the plate 10 and thus holding the handle and member 15 firmly in position to said plate. I form an annular shoulder 18 on the outside of the member 15, which overlaps and engages the top surface of the adjacent flange 14 of the handle, thus providing a compact and firm construction. The member 15 is hollow to receive the movable press button 20, having an inner rim 21 of greater diameter than the opening 19 through the top of the member 15, as clearly shown in Fig. 1, so as to provide a stop to prevent outward movement of the press button 20. 'Attached to the button 20 is a stem 22 extending downwardly and through an appropriate bored recess in the hub 16 of the retaining screw, to engage and release the locking spring for the bolt 8, as will be explained. A coiled spring 23 around the stem 22 exerts expansible tension between the hub 16 and rim 21 hold the press button 20 normally at the outward limit of its movable osition.

I provide a double spring arrangement for the locking bolt 8, mounting said bolt on a sliding carrier which carrier is normally movable outwardly by a strong spring and permits said carriage to reciprocate and allow the bolt 8 to be forced inwardly while automatically spring outwardly when the door is closed by asufiicient force to swing the carrier inwardly through engagement of the beveled surface 25 of the bolt 8 upon striking the correspondingly beveled surface 26 or 27 on the plate 5. I also provide yielding means, preferably a leaf spring, which directly engages the locking bolt 8, holding and retaining same in outward p0- sition at all times during the reciprocation of the carrier, but permitting release of the locking bolt 8 when it is desired to open the I door without the necessity for moving the carrier and bolt against the tension of the carrier actuating spring.

an appropriate slot, as will be readily understood. Adapted to slide within the guides 30 and 31 and bottom plate 32' is the carrier 41, said carrier being normally pressed forwardly or toward the door opening by a coiled spring 42 attached to a bolt 43 secured to the plate 1see Fig. 2. At the forward end of the carrier 41 are depending lugs 44, 44, through which a pin 45 passes, engaging also an appropriate recess through the rearward part 39 of the bolt 8 and constituting a pivotal mounting for said bolt 8. A corner of this bolt 8 is beveled, as shown at 46, to enable it to be permanently looked, as will be described. Secured to the carrier 41 by a screw 49 at the rearmost portion is a leaf spring 50, having its forward end curved as shown at 51, normally bearing against a shoulder at the top portion of the stud 8. This construction enables .the carrier 41 with the bolt 8 pivoted at its forward end, to be moved to and fro in the guides 30 and 31 with the bolt 8 always in outward position. If the door 2 is open .and swung into closed POSltlOIlfthQ action of the beveled faces 25 and 26 serves to move the car- 'rier rearwardly against the tension of the spring 42, a sufiicient distance to permit the bolt 9 while always in outward and locking position to engage first the catch 6 and when moved farther to engage the locking catch means to depress the leaf spring 50 against its engagement with the shoulder on the bolt 8, whereupon the mere opening movement of the door 2 will rock the bolt 8 upon the pivot 45, enabling the door to be opened, whereupon the action of the leaf spring against the rearwardly beveled face ofthe portion 39 of said part acts to normallythrow out the bolt 8 and to hold the same in locked position. To accomplish this depression of the spring 50 the stem 22 of the movable button 20 may bear directly against the leaf spring 50, the slight inward movement of the button 20 thus acting to force the spring 50 below engagement with the shoulder on the locking bolt 8 and permit the door to be opened. I have provided this spring 50 in convenient position adjacent the handle 11, so that the operator may grasp the handle 11 with one hand and 1 press the button 20 with the thumb, simultaneously movin the door and opening it, the carrier 41 being at all times in forward position abutting against the portion 40 of the plate 10 adjacent the slot opening for the bolt 8. In order to also open the door by depressing the leaf spring 50, from the opposite side, I provide a similar handle 60 and button 62, actuating a stem 63 extending through the door and adapted to bear against one end 64 of a bent arm having its other portion 65 extending up over thespring 50 so that inward movement of the button 62 and stem 63 oscillates the arm 65 to depress the spring 50 and move it below the locking shoulder, thus permitting 'the door to be opened from the other side,

by simply swinging the door open, the bolt 8 swinging on its pivot until free of the catch 7. A member 70 similar in construction, arrangement and function to the member 15 already described, to hold the button 62, is provided, and a coiled spring 71 normally acts to press the stem 63 and button 62 outwardly into position, allowing the leaf spring 50 to normally be in looking engagement with the bolt 8. It may be desirable to provide a pivotalbearing 72 for the inner end of the arm 65, as illustrated in dotted lines in Fig. 2.

I also provide means tolock the bolt 8 so that it cannot be opened, from either side,

by a very simple and effective arrangement.

To this end I pivot to the plate 10 at 80, a lever 81, having a handle 82 extending therefrom, in convenient position for the operator, to be manipulated while grasping the handle 11 to either lock or unlock the bolt. The other end of the lever 81 as shown at 82, has a recess on one side and a flat bearing surface 84 on the other, said surface 84 being of suitable form to engage the beveled corner 46 of the bolt 8 when the lever 81 is may be square or of any desired form, and

said barrel carrying a cam 92 in position to engage the recess in the arm 83 when-the latter is in contact with the beveled, face 46 of the bolt, as shown in dotted line position, Fig. 2. When thus locked it is impossible to open the door until a key is inserted in the socket 91 of the barrel 90 and the cam 92 turned to uppermost position,

My improved lock thus comprises, in a novel, economical and efficient construction, a sliding bolt lock' which is held with great force and strengthby the strong spring 42 in door-closing position, while permitting'a very easymovement to open said door, in-

stead of requiring the strength required to move the bolt against the tension of such a strong spring as it is desirable to employ at i 42. The simple release of the leaf spring 50 and the rocking of the locking bolt 8 on its pivot, permits instant and easy opening operation of the door, and by a slight pressure of the thumb when grasplng the handle to open the door. The spring 50 instantly returns the bolt to locking position when the button 2i)0r 62is released, and the door may be slammed or forced shut and is held when "thus closed. The movement of the lever 81' insures against accidental opening of the door, and the simple provision of the locking barrel 80 effects a permanent locking of the door, able key. The entire construction is strong, the guides 30 and 31 actually bracing both themselves and the late 10 and its flange 40, securin a trusshke structure, which is yet accessi 1e and economical. to manufacture. If desired, I may add an angle plate 975, on which the lugs 44 of the carrier holding the pivot 45, may slide, and in turn rest until released by suit and aresupported on said angle plate, thus adding .a further sliding and bracing'structure for the carrier 41.

My invention is further described and de- I fined in the form of claims as follows:

1. In a door lock sliding carrier, a coiled spring arranged to hold said carrier in forward position, a bolt pivoted to'the forward part of said carrier and having a shoulder on its rearward portion, a leaf spring secured to the carrier and engaging said shoulder, tohold the bolt in outward locking position,v said bolt having a beveled face adjacent the shoulder, a latch adapted to be moved into and out of engagement with said beveled corner,'to hold the bolt in locked position and operate therewith and prevent the bolt moving, and there y holding the-bolt in locked position.

a lock to 00-- of the kind described, a

2. In an automobile door lock of the kind described, a sliding carrier, a bolt pivoted thereto, a handle secured to the lock and to the door, one 'part of said handle being recessed to receive a movable button in convenient reach of the operators hand when grasping the handle, connections from said movable button to the bolt, permitting the bolt to be rocked on its pivot and the door opened independently of moving the carrler in its slide. 7

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JOHN MILLER.

I Witnesses JAMES R. Honnnn, HAROLD J. CLARK; 

